The 35-year-old kept his cool on a sun-baked Andy Murray Arena at Queen’s Club with a 7-5 6-2 victory.
It was the former British number one’s second career win over a top-20 opponent on grass, having knocked 16th-ranked Nikoloz Basilashvili out of Wimbledon six years ago.
Evans, now ranked a lowly 199 and mainly competing at lower-tier Challenger events, said: “It’s always amazing to play here. I was lucky I got the wild card.
Home heroics! 💪🇬🇧
Dan Evans downs No.7 seed Tiafoe 7-5, 6-2 on Andy Murray Arena!@QueensTennis | #HSBCChampionships pic.twitter.com/urATevBMME
— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 16, 2025
“I didn’t know he was top 20 – but I knew he was very good. I’m happy to play some good tennis because it has been few and far between.
“Days like this are why I’ve been carrying on playing. I’ve been preparing really well and focusing on what I needed to today.
“It has been a long year so far. I’ve been playing the lower tournaments, but this is why I’m hanging around to try and get some wins on the grass.”
A run of five games in a row did the damage, with a neat serve and volley wrapping up a tight first set.
American Tiafoe had to retire from his first-round match last year after slipping over and injuring his hip.
It was Evans who took a tumble early in the second set, but he recovered to consolidate another break with an ace.
He had a stroke of luck when a forehand clipped the net and rolled over to clinch a second break, before wrapping up a notable win with a volley.
Evans will face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard or Brandon Nakashima in round two.
